Many women's garments include cups formed from a relatively stiff material in order to provide support and a smooth aesthetic appearance. Such garments include brassieres, or bras, lingerie, swimsuits, camisoles, tank tops, dresses, and other garments with built-in breast support. The cups of these garments are often formed of a fiberfill material or a molded foam pad, for example. These types of materials are relatively stiff in order to maintain their shape during normal use.
However, washing these garments in a machine tends to deteriorate the garment, particularly the cups. For example, the cups get crushed or otherwise deformed and the straps tangle with other items in the wash. Furthermore, a bra's clasps often snag on other items in the wash as well as the bra itself. As a result, the bra becomes distorted and damaged, no longer fitting correctly.
Machine washing a bra as few as 4 or 5 times is enough to deteriorate the cups. Wearing out a garment in such a short amount of time is frustrating, particularly when there is a connection to the garments color, fit, and style. Furthermore, bras and garments with breast supports are expensive. Replacing bras that cost approximately $60-70 each, and garments that can cost significantly more, after only 5 washings is impractical.
While conventional mesh garment bags may help prevent clasps from tangling with other items in the wash, conventional mesh garment bags do not protect cups against crushing and distortion. Furthermore, conventional products attempting to address these problems suffer the further disadvantage that they are not useable in a dryer. The only alternative is to hand wash and/or air-dry these types of garments, which is a time consuming and inconvenient endeavor.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for use in laundering garments having cups that prevents damage to the cups and prevents shoulders, back straps, and clasps from crushing, snagging, and tangling, and is washer and dryer safe.